Comes the Rain
by Amilyn
Summary: Han, Luke, and Chewbacca are on a supply run shortly after the Battle of Yavin. Luke is still fresh out of the desert. This planet is willing to sell them rations, but its weather is unpredictable. No warnings apply.


Comes the Rain

by Amy L. Hull

For BlueMorpho for theprompt, "We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?" with Chewbacca & Han, bonus points if you can work in how skinny Chewie is when soaking wet.

Thanks to Wiliqueen and Roane for beta work.

~o~

Han stalked toward the Falcon. The street was mud. Ration bin handles slipped under his fingers.

Chewie barked.

Han didn't lift his head, just bellowed, "Luke, let's go!"

A thunderclap swallowed his words. He turned, glowering through water streaming out of his hair.

Luke's ration bins were sitting in a puddle and he stared at the clouds, tongue out.

The kid had been hesitant to come down the _Falcon_ 's ramp when they first arrived. Han had shoved Luke ahead, as the kid pointed at the sky, eyes wide.

"What...why is it...is that normal on this planet?"

"Is what normal, kid?" Han had shoved bins against Luke's chest and strode ahead.

"For the sky to be...so...close."

Chewie's laughter had drowned out Han's, but he took pity on the kid. "Chewie says to hurry up if you want to beat the rainstorm. That'll be a real show."

It was a show, all right.

The first drops had hit in the near-twilight overcast as they emerged from their supplier. Luke had cringed, ducked away.

Now, in a deluge complete with lightning forking like sparkling tree roots across the sky, followed by the kind of thunder that vibrated through a person, there was Luke, arms outstretched like he was about to spin around. His shirt was soaked to see-through, hair slicked to his head, and his smile...no adult should have a smile that wide. Especially not in the rain.

Han shouted, "We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?"

The water covered his voice again and only the highest pitches of Chewie's voice reached him. Chewie set down all four of his bins, ducked out of the pack he was wearing, and gestured for Han to do the same.

Han walked back toward his friend, shaking his head. Their boots would never be the same. At least he could blame Skywalker when he requisitioned new ones. They were still the heroes of the hour, too, so, hell, maybe he'd get two new pair.

He set his bins down and kicked one. "Good thing these are waterproof."

Chewie huffed in agreement, putting a dripping arm around Han's shoulders. Han thought about shrugging away, but it wasn't like he could get any wetter. He put an arm around Chewie. He always forgot that Wookiees were half fur. Chewie was scrawny enough to be bony under his pelt.

He watched as Luke turned, eyes wide-and wet-with wonder at the storm. They got wider as his cheeks turned pink as he saw he was being watched.

"Hey, don't let us interrupt, kid. You and this storm, you take all the...personal time you need."

The kid rolled his eyes at that one. He moved a foot, looking down and stomping experimentally.

"Why doesn't the water go into the ground?" he shouted.

"Too much of it!" Han nudged Chewie, "Think we should teach him to stomp in puddles or mud-wrestle first?"

Chewie hooted his approval of both, then suddenly stiffened.

A wary Wookiee meant bad news. "What?" Han scanned their surroundings, hand poised over his blaster handle.

Chewie cocked his head, then gestured for Luke to pick up his containers and threw his own pack on, barking orders.

"What?" Luke called.

"Grab your stuff and _run_ , kid!" Han waited till the kid was in front of him to take his own advice. It wouldn't do to lose the Hero of Yavin on a (literal) milk run.

As Chewie's hoots and barks behind them grew more urgent, Han finally heard what had set Chewie off. There was a rushing, a roar, growing louder than the pounding rain, between thunderclaps, and Han sped up, his pulse echoing in his ears above the maelstrom.

He passed up Luke just strides from the _Falcon_ 's ramp and half threw his cartons into the ship, turning to grab Chewie's. He tossed two bins in as Chewie ducked on board.

"Get her ready to fly!"

He turned to see Luke, a step from the ship, trip and slide, face-first, into the mud, then the ramp.

Behind him the water rushed toward them like a tidal wave. It shouldn't have been possible. There were no nearby seas, lakes...maybe an underground stream was- It didn't matter. He grabbed the slippery handles of Luke's containers, chucked them up up into the ship, then scooped under Luke's arms and hauled him up the ramp.

The kid scrambled to get his feet under him, coughing and spitting. He scrubbed a hand across his face, wiping the mud from his eyes. He slumped to dead weight as he saw the flood waters.

"Come on, kid!" Han shouted.

Luke stared at the rising water. "There's so _much_ of it," he gasped as he scrambled to regain his footing

Han dragged Luke one more step backward and slapped at the ramp switch.

"Hit it before we float or sink, Chewie!"

The ship lifted, a final _*squelch*_ as the landing struts pulled free. Han cringed at the mess _that_ was going to make in the rigging compartments. Hey, maybe he could get someone with the Rebellion to help. It was their supply mission, after all, and it wasn't like they were paying him anything great.

The ramp clunked into place and he looked at Luke, who was still sitting there, unmoving.

"You look like a drowned Loth-cat, kid."

Luke blinked. He started to stand, slipped on the grating, and fell again.

Han put a hand under his elbow and pulled. The ship headed out of orbit just then and Luke almost fell again. Han held on until the kid's feet were stable on the wet ramp then gave him a little nudge.

"You hit the 'fresher, kid. I'll stow the rations. I'd rather not have you in my cockpit like-" he gestured, "like that. Chewie's gonna be irritated enough about the mess here."

Luke stumbled a couple of steps backward, still staring at the exit.

"Is that...does that happen often?"

Han shrugged. "Depends on the planet, the region. Some places it never stops raining."

"I've never seen water fall from the sky before."

"I gathered."

"It's...it's magnificent," Luke breathed. "So much raw power. I could feel it everywhere. In the wind, the lights in the sky, the water, the ground...I could feel the Force _everywhere_."

His face, his eyes, they were positively glowing as he met Han's gaze. Han couldn't help smiling.

"I can't wait to tell Leia."

"You know, her Worshipfulness has seen rain before, kid."

Luke's glare just looked ridiculous as mud dripped out of his hair and onto his nose.

Han picked up two bins. "Don't forget to tell her you almost got swallowed by a flash flood."

"Does that happen in every rainstorm?"

"Nope. Your close escape is sure to impress Her Royal Worship." He stacked the containers in the nearest cargo compartment. "Go wash up, kid. The flight back is real short."

Luke turned, running a hand through his hair.

"Hey, kid," he called, picking up two more bins.

Luke looked over his shoulder.

"You got a helluva impressive first rainstorm there." He smiled, and Luke grinned back. "That kind of luck, remind me not to play against you in sabaac!"

~o~

end

~o~


End file.
